A man is murdered during a robbery In the small town of Hardwick, Vermont, the summer of 1977 was shattered by a weekend of violence that left the community gripped by fear. Bernard Daniel Ewen, a 64-year-old retired man, was a familiar and friendly presence in the town. He was often seen walking with his radio in one hand and a walking stick in the other, always ready for a long chat with anyone he met.
On Saturday, July 16, 1977, this friendly voice was silenced forever.
When Bernard failed to emerge from his downstairs apartment in the Bemis Block on Main Street by mid-afternoon, his best friend and neighbor, Archie Parkhurst, grew concerned. It was unlike Bernard to be idle on a weekend. Later that day, Bernard was found deceased in his kitchen. At first glance, it might have appeared to be a tragic accident. A folding metal chair was precariously placed on a table, and one of Bernard's slippers was caught in it, suggesting a fatal fall. However, the local police chief noticed suspicious bruising on Bernard's face and neck that seemed inconsistent with a simple fall. The Vermont State Police were called in to investigate what was now a suspected homicide.
The investigation revealed that Bernard had been going about his usual routine the day before. He had stopped at an electric shop to buy batteries for his radio and was later seen at the local IGA grocery store cashing a state rent rebate check for $138. This money was not found in his apartment, leading investigators to believe that robbery was a motive for his death. An autopsy would later confirm that Bernard Ewen's death was a homicide. Neighbors reported hearing groaning and a commotion coming from Bernard's apartment in the early hours of that Saturday morning.
In a tragic coincidence that deepened the town's anxiety, the body of another resident, Joan Rogers, was discovered in a hayfield the following day. While investigators believed the two murders were not connected, both victims had been strangled. For decades, the murder of Bernard Ewen has remained a cold case, with no arrests made and no suspects publicly identified. The Vermont State Police continue to seek information from the public, hoping that someone might come forward with a crucial piece of information to finally bring justice for the sociable man whose life was abruptly and violently ended.
